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Arbitration in the UAE — DIFC, DIAC, ADGM

Disputes in the UAE's financial centres under international arbitration rules.

Price
On request
Timeline
3–18 months
Tax
—
Format
In person
How it works

The two legal systems of the UAE: why this decides the outcome of a dispute

Two incompatible legal systems operate in the UAE at the same time. The main territory runs on civil law set out in codes, proceedings are held in Arabic, and the emirate's courts decide.

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Inside the financial centres — DIFC in Dubai and ADGM in Abu Dhabi — common law of the English type applies, with their own courts and their own procedure. Proceedings there are conducted in English.

The practical conclusion: jurisdiction is determined by what the contract says and where the parties are registered, not by where you live. A jurisdiction clause signed without reading sets the language of the proceedings, the cost of representation and the rules the case will be judged by.

Only a lawyer admitted to practise in the DIFC itself may represent a party before the DIFC courts. Admission to the emirate's courts does not apply there, and vice versa.

Choosing the forum

How DIFC, ADGM and DIAC differ from one another

The DIFC and ADGM courts

This option
  • State courts of the financial centres
  • Common law of the English type
  • Proceedings in English
  • Hearings are public

DIAC arbitration

  • Arbitration by agreement of the parties
  • The parties constitute the tribunal
  • Hearings are private
  • The award is enforced under the New York Convention

The forum is chosen at the contract stage, not at the dispute stage. Reversing that choice afterwards is close to impossible.

What is heard

Which disputes go to DIFC, ADGM and DIAC

  • Commercial disputes under contracts
  • Financial disputes
  • Employment disputes
  • Property disputes
  • Arbitration proceedings
Timelines

How long arbitration takes and how a judgment is appealed

DIAC arbitration takes from six months to a year — the time depends on the complexity of the case and on how many expert reports are needed.

A DIFC court judgment is appealed by filing a notice of appeal within 30 days of the date of the judgment. Missing the deadline closes off the appeal.

What the service includes

Scope: a tick means included in the price, a cross means billed separately
Strategy
Representation
Enforcement of awards
Arbitration fees— billed separately

How the process runs

3–18 months
  1. Шаг 1Разбираем документы и оцениваем перспективу: подсудность, применимое право, сроки давности.
  2. Шаг 2Досудебная стадия — претензия и переговоры. Часть споров закрывается здесь и дешевле.
  3. Шаг 3Подготовка позиции и подача иска в компетентный суд или арбитраж.
  4. Шаг 4Разбирательство: заседания, обмен доказательствами, экспертизы.
  5. Шаг 5Решение суда.
  6. Шаг 6Исполнительное производство — взыскание по решению.

What we need from you

  • 1A contract with an arbitration clause

Frequently asked questions

How does a DIFC court differ from an ordinary UAE court?
In its legal system and its language. DIFC and ADGM work under common law of the English type and conduct proceedings in English; the emirate's courts work under civil law codes in Arabic.
How long does arbitration at DIAC last?
From six months to a year, depending on the complexity of the case.
What is the deadline for appealing a DIFC court judgment?
A notice of appeal is filed within 30 days of the date of the judgment.
What language are proceedings held in?
In the emirate's courts, Arabic; documents are filed with a certified translation. In the DIFC and ADGM courts, English.
Who can represent me in court?
In the emirate's courts, an advocate admitted in the UAE. In the DIFC courts, only a lawyer admitted to practise in the DIFC itself: the admissions are not interchangeable.
Do I have to be present?
No: representation runs on a power of attorney. It is executed before a notary and legalised if it was issued outside the UAE. You attend in person where the court requires it — at questioning in a criminal case, for example.

Advocacy and litigation in the UAE: comparison

The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.

OptionBest forTimelinePrice from
Arbitration in the UAE — DIFC, DIAC, ADGMyou are hereBusinesses, international transactions3–18 monthson request
Corporate lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, start-ups, crypto1–4 weekson request
Family lawyers in the UAEExpats, marriages and divorces1–9 weekson request
Debt recovery in the UAEBusinesses, expats1–6 monthson request
Criminal defence lawyers in the UAEUrgent cases1–12 monthson request
Property lawyers in the UAEBuyers, tenants1–3 monthson request
Employment lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Maritime law lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Insurance and aviation lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Lawyer consultation in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Civil and commercial lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request

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